The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-01-01
ASPARAGUS CULTURE.
Observations and Experiments Made by n
Successful Cultivator.

ODoeEE"Iiohs anu experiments Made by
Successful Cultlvator.
1t seems to me that the method of
deep setting this crop is mistake. [
have spent money carting dirt on to
asparagus beds, but it was labor lost;
the yield was no better. We live and
learn. Studying the habit of the plant
l found much that is interesting.
Flowing an old meadow found roots
OF asparagus that had sprung from
seeds, and the cumps of roots when
turnedup were about eighteen inches
long and had in all cases grown by
inches toward the south, adding a new
bud each year, the old buds or roots
being connected together with the
power to reduce an upward growth
only in the new bud Another bed, in
bearing over thirty years and for the
last fifteen without manure, has shown
signs of running out. The stalks are of
good size, but very thinly scattered
over the ground, so that one-fourth of
the two-acre lot was ploughed up. This
was done with little difficulty, as the
root were not strong in the land.
The decay and decreased production
was laid, not SO much to the lack of
fertilizing as to the fact that of late
years the ground had been worked
twice each season with a light one
horse pillow, instead of by the old meth
cd Of hand-digging with the six-tincd
fork; the roots were probably cut off
below the bearing point from time to
time by the pillow, and the part of the
lot worst affected was where the plants
were deepest in the soil. Another bed
was set in rich land ten years ago, not
very deep. This, when a small part of
it was plowed up to make room for hot
beds, proved a very tough job-the
hardest blowing | remember. The
roots here seemed to grow in all direc-
tons as to points of compass, but
always with the terminal shoot only,
ready for the spring trade.
bed of One-fourth acre set in the
spring of 50 with two-year-old roots of
the Moore's Crossbred variety had last
spring stalks all along the rows from
one-half to one inch through, large
enough to cut; but none of them were
cut this season, as it is not considered
advisable to cut much till the third sea-
son after planting. This bed is on a
side-hill slOping east that had received
an annual manuring for twenty years.
The land was heavily MANFRED at the
time and the manure worked into the
soil. The plants were set in rows three
feet apart. The plants were about a
foot apart in rows and not more than
four or five inches below the surface; in
fact, set in the rich surface soil of the
garden without subsoiling or any such
trenchng as is usually recommended.
Next season this bed will yield an
abundant cutting of splendid shoots,
and if worked with fork and not with
pillow will remain in bearing at leas
thirty years.
As for manure, believe for aspara
gus, as for rhubard, that the manure
should be applied in the fall. Our al
luvial soil does not respond to CONNER
cial fertilizers but wood ashes, leacheC
or unleached, and horse manure are ouI
dependence. This put on in the fal
and worked into the soil early in spring
the ground cleared of weeds about july
/, and then left till November, wheI
the beds are moved down and burneC
to kill seeds. There is absolutely M
"best time to set bed, but either fal
or spring, rs suits The falls better OF
some MINOR aocounts-the land is il
better condition to work, the plants ar
dormant and there is more leisure to d
that job well. The plants are best TO
setting at two years, for then you ge
the plants in fresh soil, free of weed
and strong enough TO make vigorou
growth at once. One-year-old plant
are good if the best ones be chosen an
you can raise your own seedlings an
in the meantime prepare the Ian
for the future bed by crops which wi
leave the soil in good condition to sc
the asparagus.-W H. Bull, IN NJ ]
Tribune.